The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-17
A MOMENTOUS RIDE.
How Mickey Finn and the Mule
Saved the Cow.

The warm south wind had coaxed
Tindsley's woods into putting on their
new spring suit. Brown robins tripped
briskly through the springing green
places in Stumpy Field. Mickey Finn s
tame crow sat on the fence and kept a
watchful eye on circling hawk, who
had felonious designs on Mrs. Doolan's S
bantams. A venturesome frog came
out of the mud on the margin of
Browns pond and tried to sing solo;
surprised at the dismal croak that came
from his throat, he concluded that he
was not fitted for singing, and went
back into the mud to wait until the
chorus began work in June.
Mickey Finn had grown rapidly dur
ing the winter. He was broader
shouldered and deeper chested, and he
began to put away childish things. A
perception of the conventions of
society began to dawn on him. He be-
gan to ask himself whether there. was
any virtue in paper collar. But then
there would be too manifest an incon-
gruity between paper collar and n
red flannel shirt; and so he bridged the
difficulty with a dicky. But he soon
found that elegance was gained at the
expense of comfort, for the collar
chol1ed him and the dicky kept slipping
around SO that a strip of red flannel
shirt was exposed to view. His mother,
while she began to know that her boy
was weaving away from her, failed to
see that the subtle alchemy of manhood
was beginning to stir his pulses, or that
a perception of the dignities of life had
unconconsciously been appropriated by
him. The development of Drawn and
muscle had no Significance to her.
Mickey would always be her boy, were
he an Ajax in size and a Hercules in
limb.
But Mr.. Finn took more practical
view o. the evolution of little Mike.
eye needn't be so swintilimental
about III by, Biddy," said Mike, one
evenil =. ''It's not that he's thinkin'
less iv ye; but ye wouldn't be wantin'
a big lump iv a by like him t be
mauthering around like babby. I'll
lave it t. yerseI' now-would ye? All,
ha! but he's good fer amy o. tn b'ys
iv his weight an inches. 1 seen him
givin' the fut t. Pat Feenan's by
Janesey this Chuseday's a week, an
drappin' him on tn broad iv his back
rs aisy as you'd be turnin' pancake.
Shure he's good aither way ye take
him-collar'n elbow, side holt, or
catch-as-catch-ca
Mr.. Finn chuckled to himself as he
recapitulated his sons virtues, and his
wife looked out into the gathering twi-
light with a brooding premonition that
these physical accomplishments of her
boy would get him into trouble in the
days to come.
Mr.. Finn's chuckles died away when
he saw a man open the gate and walk
up'the little gravelled path to the door.
He recognized the man as Jack Cooney,
to whom he owed thirty dollars on the
purchase of IA COW.
Good avenin' t ye, Mike, an how's
times wild ye?'' said Jack.
''Well, thin, they might be better
nor they are. What wild tn rheumatic
and the late spring I'm discouraged in
toirely. How's things wild yersel',
Jack?''
'Im in a mighty tight place, Mike.
Troth, man, I'm nearly out iv me head
wild trubble. Yen mind the under
taker McNulty! Well, me sister
Mary's afther dyin' wild tn newmonya,
God rest her, and whin she was sick
fwhat did that dirty blaggard do but
he comes around PEACEFUL and quite as
a lamb, tn sn' akin viIlun. Jist whin
:. s,r& L
back t. me sister an says he: Mary
says he, I'll lave me card wild ye,'
says he, AN if yer wantin' any thing
in my line, We can send fur me. There's
neer a man in my line o. business as
kapes betther goods, says he, an wild
that he wint out. afther PAWN his
black caard on tn bed, an it r'adin':
'McNulty, ch'apest undertaken in the
CITY,"
s'Fwhat did We do wild him, JackP''
said Mike, leaning over the table to
catch the reply.
''Fwhat w'ud any man do as had two
fists on his arrums and two shoes on
his fate? jist went over till him, an
] thumped him till his face was like
b'afsteak, an gridironed his back wild
tn kickin' / gev him.
''An' he tux tn law on ye, sup
pose"
Faith he did that. He had me up
for 'sault an batthery, an tn Jedge
fined me thirty dollars or 20 t Jail fer
thirty days But got out on a molly
sonethin' or other, an ] hav thirty
days t raise the money. That's fwhat |
I'm here for tonight. / don't want to /
be pressin' ye, Mike, but if We hav' tn !
thirty dollars ye're OWN me on tn |
COW, or ye can get it by this day four
weeks, I'll be much in ye're favor, so
/ viii, plaze God. "
Mike ushered his visitor to the door 4
with a sorrOwful heart. When he had 4
closed the door he asked his wife how
much money there was in the stock /
ing. Mrs. Finn poured the contents 4
of the woolen safe out upon the table.
They counted the money over care
fully several times to be sure that no
mistake had been made. but the mott
rigid calculation failed to make the
total amount more than five dollars
and twelve cents.
Mickey was informed Of the state Of
affairs, and he became very thought
ful. The islea never occurred TO the